History Trivia / Gundam

* FountainOfExpies: Char Aznable has been so oft-imitated, both in the ''Gundam'' franchise itself and in other shows, [[CharClone as to warrant its own trope]].

** Likewise, many fans introduced to the series by the newer entries met the resident CharClone before learning of the original character. For instance, as ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'' was the first series exported to the West, many American fans were more familiar with Zechs Marquise. This was so prevalent that the best way to identify "newcomers" is whether they mistake Char cosplayers for Zechs.

* StarMakingRole: Many voice actors' careers were launched by starring as the lead in many ''Gundam'' series, starting with Creator/ToruFuruya as Amuro Ray. Some even debuted as the protagonist from the start. The same goes with the CharClone[=s=] starting with the original, Creator/ShuichiIkeda. Similarly, many supporting actors got famous for voicing an important or memorable character in a ''Gundam'' series even if they are not the protagonist.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Part of the reason the franchise failed to gain traction after the success of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'' on Toonami. Sunrise chose to start back at the beginning of Universal Century with ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'', but the dated animation wasn't eye-catching and despite being a classic the original show [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny felt backwards compared to the premise and themes of Wing]]. ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'' came next, which was better received, but Bandai lost favor from toy stores as they forced them to stock merchandise that nobody wanted. By the time ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'' rolled around, it has neither hype or driving force from merchandise to back it up, so it was shoved into a FridayNightDeathSlot. Many fans hold the opinion that, had Sunrise exported ''[[Anime/AfterWarGundamX Gundam X]]'' rather than the One Year War series, ''Gundam'' might have actually hung on longer. Likewise, a stronger foundation using the modern alternate continuity shows may have helped every UC work get a proper English dub, rather than just the first series and a few of the movies.

* ScrewedByTheNetwork: Numerous examples, both in Japan and abroad. ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' was cut from a planned 52 episodes to only 39, and the staff had to beg to get an extention up to 43 in order to wrap up the series; ''[[Anime/AfterWarGundamX Gundam X]]'' was left to rot in a FridayNightDeathSlot and eventually cut from 49 to 39 episodes.

* TheWikiRule: [[http://gundam.wikia.com Right this way...]]

* CharacterSpecificPages: [[Characters/GundamCharAznable Char Aznable]]

** Given how many series have not been released outside of Japan, most western audiences were introduced to ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ'', ''Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam'', ''Anime/AfterWarGundamX'', ''Anime/TurnAGundam'', and anything featuring UC-based Musha Gundams through ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsGundam''.

** Gundam ''games'', on the other hand, are very rarely available in North America. ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsGundam'' is about the only major series that is available in English. However, ''Gundam Breaker 3'' is available subtitled in English (from Singapore), and starting 2017, starting with ''[[VideoGame/GundamVsSeries Gundam Versus]]'', new games were given a western release including ''VideoGame/NewGundamBreaker'', ''VideoGame/GundamBattleGunplaWarfare'', a Steam release of ''VideoGame/SDGundamGGeneration Cross Rays'', and ''Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS Maxi Boost ON'' (albeit download only in the west).
* RecycledScript: Quick, which ''Gundam'' show is being described: the main character is a [[ImprobableAge youngster]] who gets embroiled in the war when it shows up on his doorstep, leading to him FallingIntoTheCockpit of a Gundam. He ends up [[ResignedToTheCall reluctantly]] becoming an AcePilot, gaining both a [[TheRival personal enemy]] and a [[DatingCatwoman love interest]] among the enemy, the latter of which dies tragically. Eventually the hero participates in the war's FinalBattle, helping defeat the enemy before [[EarnYourHappyEnding retiring to a less martial life]]. Give up? It's [[spoiler: [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam MSG]], [[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Z]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ ZZ]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamUnicorn Unicorn]], [[Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam V]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED Seed]] and [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeedDestiny Destiny]] to a lesser extent, and arguably [[Anime/AfterWarGundamX X]] and [[Anime/TurnAGundam Turn A]] as well]]. Whew!

* StarMakingRole: Many voice actors' careers were launched by starring as the lead in many ''Gundam'' series, starting with Creator/ToruFuruya as Amuro Ray. Some even debuted as the protagonist from the start. The same goes with the Char clones starting with the original, Creator/ShuichiIkeda. Similarly, many supporting actors got famous for voicing an important or memorable character in a ''Gundam'' series even if they are not the protagonist.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: As noted under ExecutiveMeddling, Sunrise chose to follow ''Gundam Wing'' with the original 0079. Creator/{{Toonami}}, who aired ''Wing'', had approached them for another Gundam series after ''Wing'' finished it's run, and had their eyes on the aforementioned ''X'' and ''Anime/TurnAGundam'' - had Sunrise said yes, not only would those series have gotten dubs, but it's likely that the ''Gundam'' Boom would have stayed on longer. What makes this example particularly weird is that later, Sunrise let Toonami air the aforementioned ''G Gundam'' - one can't help but wonder why Sunrise didn't just let them air ''G'' first.

** Years before ''Gundam Wing'' aired in the US, Sunrise made a pitch for an American-exclusive ''Gundam'' series to enter the lucrative US toy market. The end result, the infamous ''WesternAnimation/DoozyBots'', was shopped to networks for a Fall 1991 airing, only to find no takers. One can only wonder how differently ''Gundam'' would have faired in the US had the first major exposure on national television been ''Doozy Bots'' and not ''Wing.''

** Given how many series have not been released outside of Japan, most western audiences were introduced to ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ'', ''Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam'', ''AfterWarGundamX'', ''Anime/TurnAGundam'', and anything featuring UC-based Musha Gundams through ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsGundam''.

** In 1999, in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the franchise, Sunrise both brought Creator/YoshiyukiTomino back to direct a ''Gundam'' series (''Anime/TurnAGundam'') and commissioned a live-action ''Gundam'' movie (''Film/GSaviour''). One of those was very well-received by the fans... the other not so much.

* RecycledScript: Quick, which Gundam show is being described: the main character is a [[ImprobableAge youngster]] who gets embroiled in the war when it shows up on his doorstep, leading to him FallingIntoTheCockpit of a Gundam. He ends up [[ResignedToTheCall reluctantly]] becoming an AcePilot, gaining both a [[TheRival personal enemy]] and a [[DatingCatwoman love interest]] among the enemy, the latter of which dies tragically. Eventually the hero participates in the war's FinalBattle, helping defeat the enemy before [[EarnYourHappyEnding retiring to a less martial life]]. Give up? It's [[spoiler: [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam MSG]], [[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Z]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ ZZ]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamUnicorn Unicorn]], [[Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam V]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED Seed]] and [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeedDestiny Destiny]] to a lesser extent, and arguably [[Anime/AfterWarGundamX X]] and [[Anime/TurnAGundam Turn A]] as well]]. Whew!

* ExecutiveMeddling:
** Part of the reason the franchise failed to gain traction after the success of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'' on Toonami. Sunrise chose to start back at the beginning of Universal Century with ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'', but the dated animation wasn't eye-catching and despite being a classic the original show [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny felt backwards compared to the premise and themes of Wing]]. ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam'' came next, which was better received, but Bandai lost favor from toy stores as they forced them to stock merchandise that nobody wanted. By the time ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'' rolled around, it has neither hype or driving force from merchandise to back it up, so it was shoved into a FridayNightDeathSlot. Many fans hold the opinion that, had Sunrise exported ''[[Anime/AfterWarGundamX Gundam X]]'' rather than the One Year War series, ''Gundam'' might have actually hung on longer. Likewise, a stronger foundation using the modern alternate continuity shows may have helped every UC work get a proper English dub, rather than just the first series and a few of the movies.

* MarthDebutedInSmashBros: Given how many series have not been released outside of Japan, most western audiences were introduced to [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ Gundam ZZ]], ''[[Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam Victory Gundam]]'', [[Anime/AfterWarGundamX Gundam X]], Anime/TurnAGundam, and anything featuring UC-based Musha Gundams through ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsGundam''.

** In 2009, in recognition of the 30th anniversary, Sunrise released a short video called "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2M53lQ3bEE Gundam Perfect Mission]]", showcasing many of the franchise's most famous Gundams working together to get the original Gundam's core fighter into orbit. A 1:1 scale Gundam model was also built in Japan, and remained on display outside the Gundam Museum in Odaiba until 2017 (when it was replaced by a 1:1 scale of the Unicorn Gundam).
** In a gaming example specifically, 2017 marks the 30th anniversary of Gundam video games, the first being ''Zeta Gundam: Hot Scramble'' for the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem Famicom]]. To celebrate this, Bandai created the Hot Scramble Gundam (based off of the Zeta-inspired Scramble Gundam from ''Anime/GundamBuildFightersTry Island Wars'' and piloted by Meijin Kawaguchi III) and included it in several Gundam games released in 2017, including ''VideoGame/SDGundamGGeneration Genesis'' and ''[[VideoGame/GundamVsSeries Gundam Versus]]''.

* StarMakingRole: many voice actors' careers were launched by starring as the lead in many Gundam series, starting with Creator/ToruFuruya as Amuro Ray. Some even debuted as the protagonist from the start. The same goes with the Char clones starting with the original, Shuichi Ikeda. Similarly, many supporting actors got famous for voicing an important or memorable Gundam role even if they are not the protagonist.

* PopCultureHoliday: There are two main holidays for the franchise: Gundam Day (7/8), chosen to mimic the model number of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'''s RX-78-2, and Zaku Day (3/9), chosen as a GoroawaseNumber pun.

** The series was also meant to have a live action adaptation well before ''Film/GSaviour''. It was also supposed to have designs by Syd Mead. The said show however never happened, though Syd Mead was famously brought back for ''Anime/TurnAGundam''.

* BigNameFan:
** Mark Simmons is undoubtedly the most knowledgeable member of the English-speaking Gundam fandom, having been into it since the 80s (he even submitted an original MS design for ''Manga/GundamSentinel''!) and founded the well-regarded Gundam Project website. This earned him the notice of Sunrise, and he was hired on to help with the translation and localization of several series. He regularly takes part in the fandom, especially in technical discussions, and his current website [[http://www.ultimatemark.com/gundam/ Ultimate Mark]] is probably the single greatest source for Gundam info in English, including the official English Gundam site.
** He's even gotten some nods within the franchise: Mark Simmons is the default name for one of the Create-A-Characters in the video game ''Encounters in Space'', ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeed Gundam SEED]]'' has a minor character (a mobile suit engineer) named Erica Simmons, and ''G-Saviour'''s main character, Mark Curran, has a sidekick named Simmons.